The Who My Generation

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by hbbfam, Oct 20, 2012.

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  1. JohnBR

    JohnBR Forum Resident

    If you're referring to the Deluxe Edition that came out in 2002, a lot of people on this board don't approve of that particular release because it includes stereo remixes that omit instrumental and vocal parts on many of the songs. Thankfully they did partially rectify that by including the original mono mixes of both My Generation and A Legal Matter as bonus tracks, but other songs were also affected and are not included in their mono mixes.

    Of course the matter of which mix is superior - original mono, or remixed stereo - is a completely different discussion and is largely a matter of personal preference.
     
  2. Tommyboy

    Tommyboy Senior Member

    Location:
    New York
    Most of the 2002 stereo remixes are narrow.
     
  3. Big A2

    Big A2 Forum Resident

    It's bizarre that they're using third(?)-gen tapes (there has to be some kind of miscommunication here), but at the end of the day, there’s still no easily available version of this album as it was originally released, so for me this reissue is much welcomed.
     
  4. Idler

    Idler Active Member

    Location:
    Sydney Australia

    Get the latest SHM-CD set then, by far the best cd version I have heard. Readily available from Japan still.
     
  5. d.s.l.

    d.s.l. Forum Resident ^O;O^

    Location:
    Baltimore
    Anyone get this yet?
     
  6. fifth beatle99

    fifth beatle99 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Eugene Oregon
    I have the deluxe two disc version from about 10 years ago. It has stereo and mono mixes, extra songs such as the Can't Explain single, and R&B covers left off the album, as well as the original "Instant Party" and some other songs. It has a nice booklet. As far as technically, mastering and such, I don't know it sounds pretty good to me. Is someone trying to say there is a better version than this fantastic two disc set I bought?
     
  7. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Already answered:

     
  8. JohnBR

    JohnBR Forum Resident

    The latest SHM-CD two disc set from Japan has more bonus tracks (including I think everything on the 2002 Deluxe Edition), but it also has the original mono mix of the complete album as well as the stereo remixes. Some prefer this SHM-CD set, including myself of course! Here's a link for the curious:
    http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=UICY-94802
     
  9. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Not entirely. Missing are:

    - I Don't Mind (regular length)
    - The Good's Gone (regular length)
    - My Generation (instrumental)
    - Anytime You Want Me (A Cappella)

    The first two are arguably superfluous, but the last two are unique.

    As noted, though, the 2 CD Collector's Edition has the entire mono mix of the original album, along with 12 mono bonus tracks.
     
  10. fifth beatle99

    fifth beatle99 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Eugene Oregon

    Yes I have read here on the forum, that the deluxe 2002 two disc set I bought, features some missing overdubs on the release. It is apparent on a few tracks, missing guitar solo''s or whatever it might be. However it brought all the 1965 recordings/songs onto one set, that is what I liked about it, along with nice packaging. If someone has recreated that 2002 set, and corrected the errors of missing overdubs or run of the mill mastering, great! but even as is the 2002 set is cool, it has around 20-25 songs on it, including the non album period singles, Anyhow Anway Anywhere, Cant Explain as well as unused R&B covers, fresh stereo mixes and the original Instant Party (sometimes confused with Circles). Just as an aside, I have no idea, no idea, how people can confuse Instant party with Circles, they don't sound anything alike, Instant Party is a cute throaway over a fifties progression where Townshend jokes about a "jazz cigarette" and Circles is kind of a circular open 1966 thing, more along the lines of a poor mans Beatles Tomorrow Never Knows, and cool in its own right. \

    I'll gladly take something better than the 2002 set, but that set has all the extra songs, new mixes, nice packaging, why not just correct, using that set as a template, redo the mastering, find the missing overdubs, but keep all the extra songs, packaging etc. I don't get it, is the mastering considered inferior on 2002 or are the missing overdubs that significant, how many missing overdubs are there?
     
  11. JohnBR

    JohnBR Forum Resident

    Both sets have their merits, I think it's just a matter of personal preference as to which is more desireable: the four unique bonus tracks listed by lukpac, or the original mono mix of the album. The SHM-CD set also includes an alternate version of Circles that does not appear on the 2002 Deluxe Edition. Unfortunately, it's not a simple matter of being able to restore the missing overdubs because they seem to have been recorded directly onto the mono master, which means they can't be seperated for a stereo remix. At least that's my basic understanding.

    And I agree about Instant Party, I think the only reason it gets mixed up with Circles is due to a misprinted single label (it was listed as "Instant Party" on the 1966 A Legal Matter single). That title eventually stuck, and the original Instant Party was long forgotten. Maybe that title was used intentionally, in an attempt to get one past The Who. They had just released their own production of Circles as the b-side to Substitute, and presumably wouldn't want the Shel Talmy version released.
     
  12. sbardc

    sbardc Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK

    Mine arrived today.

    The packaging is basically one step up from the old MCA mono CD. The cover inlay is a single fold-over with song titles and original Decca liner notes on the inside, U.K. cover picture on the front, U.S. cover picture on the back.

    I have not had a chance to properly listen yet, but it looks like this;


    Top, My Generation, new Polydor mono.
    Bottom, My Generation, old MCA mono.


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  13. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Arguably just the two. The other two are just shorter.

    The "final overdubs direct to mono" idea seems very unlikely. Rather, for whatever reason, the 3-tracks for many of the master takes are apparently missing for some reason. Known examples are Leaving Here and Daddy Rolling Stone; unique mono and stereo mixes exist of both, indicating that 3-tracks were available at one point, but the remixes feature different or missing overdubs.

    Apparently the next single was going to be Circles/Instant Party. It wouldn't surprise me if the naming issues are a combination of confusion and intentional obfuscation.

    As above, for whatever reason the correct tapes are not available. As for the missing overdubs, from Brian Cady's notes:

    That is, there are quite a few differences, and that list may not be complete (for starters, I think the backing vocals on Circles may be different as well). Also, the quality of the stereo mixes arguably varies quite a bit. Some are "not bad" (backing and vocals center, guitar left), while others essentially sound like fake stereo (Much Too Much comes to mind). The vintage stereo mixes found on Who's/Two's Missing are arguably superior.
     
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  14. Big A2

    Big A2 Forum Resident

    Cool.

    Do let us know how it sounds. I'm interested in what's the deal with this tape source thing. Currently contemplating whether to get this or save up my yen for the Jap box.
     
  15. Jim B.

    Jim B. Senior Member

    Location:
    UK
    I have this. No expert but it sounds very nice to me. It's the tape they used to make the 1980 vinyl isn't it. It all sounds pretty clear and punchy.

    For some reason My Generation (the song) seems out of place, like the quality of that song is slightly poorer, I don't know if there is a reason for that.

    But for £5 I don't think you can go wrong if you want a mono version.

    Hull came in the same packet from Amazon btw.
     
  16. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    One thing he left out is what sounds like a very brief French horn overdub on "The Good's Gone," present on the original mono but missing from the stereo remix. It's such an oddball overdub that its absence sticks out like a sore thumb.
     
  17. MerseyBeatle

    MerseyBeatle Martha my dear (1995-2012)

    Location:
    Charleston, SC
    Hopefully this isn't too far off topic, but I just discovered that my MCA CD of 'The Who Sings My Generation' (MCAD-31330, UPC: 076743133022)) is the fake stereo issue. Now, I understand that this title was later reissued with the same catalog number but in mono. So, if I buy the current US issue (http://www.amazon.com/The-Who-Sings-My-Generation/dp/B000002PE4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1353466000&sr=8-1&keywords=the+who+sings+my+generation) directly from Amazon (not the 3rd party marketplace) what is the likelihood that I receive the mono issue?
     
  18. nicotinecaffeine

    nicotinecaffeine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Walton, KY
    :rant:

    It's all over the place! One set has tons of goodies with missing tracks out the wazoo, another is third generation copies, another is compressed and narrow...just a flipping mess.

    What would some of you recommend in making a track-by-track borderline-definitive MG deluxe in stereo and mono? I'll start with one:

    "I'm A Man" and "Circles" from Two's Missing. Not sound perfection, but there's no burying of anything either.
     
  19. WhoTapes1

    WhoTapes1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greensboro, NC
    The pink faced mono MCA disc is pretty hard to find these days - I wouldn't take a chance blindly ordering an MCA version from Amazon - you'll more than likely get the fake stereo original release.
     
  20. sbardc

    sbardc Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK

    He asked about the current CD. Those are mono.
     
  21. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Almost surely mono.

    I'm A Man is edited and Circles is the Reaction re-recording.

    With the exception of 1) the two extra tracks on the DE and 2) the 6 vintage stereo mixes on Who's/Two's Missing, arguably all one needs is the Japanese Collector's Edition, as has been mentioned several times. The original mono mixes, the stereo remixes from the DE, and little to no limiting/compression.

    The only outstanding issue (short of the master 3-tracks turning up) is a transfer of Circles from tape, which unfortunately seems to be missing.
     
  22. nicotinecaffeine

    nicotinecaffeine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Walton, KY
    Is the pink one worth getting? I do have the Canadian MCA "Sings" where the packaging is identical to the US-pink, but without the pink disc. Not sure if the mixes are identical as one another.
     
  23. lukpac

    lukpac Senior Member

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    If my recollection is correct, the Canadian issue is identical to the US pink-faced CD.
     
  24. nicotinecaffeine

    nicotinecaffeine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Walton, KY
    Okay, cool. I'll check with the store tomorrow, compare the US and CA through phones and try to remember to follow up with a definitive verdict. It's only for $5, so I might end up getting it anyway since I'm already on a nerd-quest for the 80's US pressings. All I'm missing now is Quick, Sell and Meaty...which, Quick and Sell are expensive as 'eff online and there's gotta be somebody who wants to chuck theirs for a reasonable price eventually...I'm hoping.

    Big Who fan. One of those, "Have it just to have it" people.
     
  25. WhoTapes1

    WhoTapes1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greensboro, NC
    I look forward to hearing your comparison between the pink faced MCA mono version cd and the Canadian mono version cd (which I didn't know existed). Thanks.
     
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